Wrigley Field isn’t the only Chicago landmark to get a much-anticipated overhaul. The northeast portion of Grant Park, the city’s “front yard,” also recently received a major facelift—and a new moniker. Named after the city’s late former first lady, Maggie Daley Park (337 E. Randolph, 312-742-3918) is all about aesthetics.
Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, the same firm overseeing the Arch grounds’ makeover, designed the park. As with the Arch, the idea was to reimagine an existing park—built on top of an aging parking garage, no less—to be more integrated with the surrounding community, particularly the burgeoning Lakeshore East neighborhood.
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“There’s definitely a departure in some of the design gestures that the original Grant Park had,” says Nichole Sheehan, project manager with the Chicago Park District. Today, snaking sidewalks have replaced the predictably straight pathways of Grant Park’s original Beaux Arts design. The winding paths mirror the Frank Gehry–designed pedestrian bridge that connects the space to Millennium Park. “The paths are leading you through the park, getting you to the destination, but not taking a direct, straight shot.”
Exploration is a theme here. Two 40-foot climbing walls—one for novices, another for experts—double as oversized sculptural elements. A quarter-mile ice-skating ribbon—what the park district describes as “alpine in the city”—wraps around the walls. During the warmer months, the ribbon becomes a path for walkers, roller-skaters, and people on scooters. Then there’s the park’s imaginative 3-acre playground.
“You look at the rest of Grant Park’s offerings, and there were really not that many children-friendly spaces,” says Sheehan. No longer. The Alice in Wonderland–inspired playground allows kids to explore thematic areas, including lookout towers, a three-level tube slide, and a play ship.
For adults, there are other draws, most notably the green space. A lawn valley—lined with 50-foot light masts, shaped like giant tripods, that provide a moonlight glow at night—cuts across the middle of the park and serves as a perfect spot for tossing a Frisbee or relaxing. Small groves at the park’s edges are ideal for romantic picnics. And next year, Four Corners Tavern Group plans to open a glass-enclosed restaurant, complete with a green roof, skylight, and atrium.
“For us, it was somewhat of an underutilized space,” Sheehan says, reflecting on the site’s former life. Today, that’s changed. “The park has really become a destination for families.”
NEW AND NOTABLE BITES: Momotaro
Declared the No. 1 new restaurant by Chicago magazine last year, this $3.4 million West Loop addition is full of Eastern inspiration, with Japanese prints and a vintage payphone that plays Japanese recordings. Then there’s the lengthy menu. Whether you order sushi, skewers, or sake, all of executive chef Mark Hellyar’s offerings are oishii (Japanese for delicious). 820 W. Lake, 312-733-4818.
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